Tank-car construction



Feb., 26, w24.; "A 1,484,658@

V W. J. TANGERMAN TANK GAR CONSTRUCTION Filed May g8, 1921 Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

unito STATES time TANK-CAR CONSTRUCTION.

Y Application filed May 28, 1921.

To all whom zz: may concern: Y

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. TANGER- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hammond, county of Lake, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Tank-Car Constructions, of which theV following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to improvements in tank cars but relates more particularly to improvements in the outlet or lading egress parts thereof.

Railroadtank cars are used for carrying v,a Wide variety of products, ranging. from free flowing liquids such as gasoline, benzine, turpentine and the like, to such heavy and normally semi-solid materials such as tar, heavy oils, greases and the like. Because y of the fact that some of the materials to be carried flow reluctantly, if at all, at normal temperatures, and for other reasons, it is necessary to provide' for the heating of the contents ofthe tank car. In tank car outlets heretofore provided, it is also customary to apply heat thereto which is done by sur rounding the same with steam or other heating jackets. Also because ofthe fact that tank cars are heated from time to time there is considerable expansion and contraction of the car tank which has necessitated the provision of special fastening means between the tank and the car underframe to admit-of this wide range of move ment on the part of the tank without shearing or otherwise injuring the fastening ortank anchorage. While these tank car anchorages are sufficient to retain the tank upon the car underframe in normal operation, in the event of a wreck it is quite likely that the tank will separate from the car underframe, particularly if the tank is loaded.

Furthermore when the tank is thus' torn from the underframe it usually will be found that the tank car outlet has either wholly destroying the tank car outlet but Serial No. 473,238.

also usually causes a loss of contents of the car which may amount to many thousands of dollars.

The general object of my invention is to provide a tank car construction which shall practically eliminate all danger of injury to the outlet portion thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tank car outlet construction which can be utilized with or upon tank cars of the usual construction, and which shall not require any modification in the manner of anchoring the tank upon the underframe.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a tank car outlet construction which shall be of such form and character that the contents of the car can be maintained readily at proper flowing temperature at the outlet or lading egress opening to the end that the discharge of the contents can be rapidly accomplished.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a tank car'outlet construction which shall be simple both as to manufacture and as to application to the car tank, and which sha-ll require the withdrawal of the car from service for but a relatively short time when it is to be applied to a car in service.

My invention consists generally in the` form, arrangement, construction, positioning and co-action of the parts whereby the above named objects, together with others that will appear hereinafter are attainable, and my invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate what' I consider, at the present time. to be the preferred embodiment thereof.

ln said drawings:

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view through the tank car outlet portion of a tank car embodying my invention, taken substantially along the line l--l of Fig. 2; and y Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of that part of the car shown in Fig. l.

No attempt has been made to illustrate the tank car anchorage nor many of the details of the tank car construction inasmuch as these are or may be of the usual con struction. However, the car center sill is shown and here takes the form of the two spaced channel members l and 2. 3, represents the car tank which is suitably mounted on the car underframe so that at its as a pan.

lower point it is somewhat above the upper faces l and 5 of the channel member form- Y ing the center sill. In the bottom of the tank, and usually substantially midway thereof, will be found an opening G which is closed by the flange fitting 7 that is riveted to the tank, and which contains a ren'iovable bushing S, usually formed of brass, to provide a suitable seat for the valve 9. It will be understood that the valve 9 has a long stem 10 which usually` extends to the upper part ofthe tank to enable convenient manipulation of the ,forming the center sill, here represented by the channel members 1 and 2, or in any event have extended below the upper face of the center sill so that any transverse shifting of the tank on the underframe has resulted in damage to the outlet, before referred to. To overcome t-he objection referred to I have provided a pan shaped member which, as here shown, is composed of a bottom portion 13, end wall portions 14 and 15, and side wall portions 16 and 17, which portions terminate outwardly in a flange 18 that is formed to the curvature of the tank 3 and which is securely fastened thereto. The fastening means here shown take the form of a plurality of rivets 19,

although the flange may be welded orl secured to the tank in any other suitable way. For the sake of a convenient terni the member just described will he referred to The pan, as shown, forms a relatively shallow chamber, which, because of its proximate relation to the tank and the heating coils therein, is maintained at such temperature as to insure the free flowing of the discharging contents, under all conditions. Y

For the discharge of the lading, i. e., car contents, from the pan chamber I have provided two lading egress openings 20 and 21 which are tapped with standard pipe threads so thatV they may be closed by the pipe thread plugs 22 and 23. The pan, as here shown, is a pressed steel plate, and, in order to provide a suitable thickness of material for the plugs 22 and 23, I havel secured plates 24 and 25 to the end walls 14 and 15. These plates are shown as being welded to the pan but if desired they may be riveted or otherwise suitably secured.

As is indicated by the extension lines 26 and 27 all parts of the pan, reinforcing plates, plugs, etc., are positioned above the top of the car sill so that they will'not engage the sill in the event of a Wreck or transverse shifting of the tank. Because of the shallow nature of the pan and the manner in which it conforms generally to the contour of the car tank, the danger of breakage is remote, indeed, so much so, that to all intents and purposes it is non-breakable. i. Y e Y The bottom wall of the pan is preferably formed upwardly `so as to bring the How line ofthe lading substantially on a line with the bottom part of the lading regress openings of the pan. p j

1\fllhen'the ear toV be unloaded either or both of the plugs 22 and 23 are removed and 'a standard pipe inserted. Of course, if desired, a special fitting can be inserted lif a special pipe or other conn-ection is to be used. The valve 9 is entirely protected 0n1 the ,pan and cannot be injured from without. Y The many advantages of this slmp-le nonbreakabletank ear outlet construction will be understood, by those skilled in this art without further comment.

I claim:

1. Ina tank car, a sill, a tank having a lading egress opening therein, a pan secured to4 the tank, surrounding said tank lading egress opening and extending over said sill, said pan having a lading egressopening which is above the top of the sill and beyond the outer vside thereof.

2. In a tank car, a sill, a tank havingxa lading egress opening therein, a pan secured.

to the tank, surrounding saidv tank lading egress opening and extending over said sill,

said pan having lading egress openings in opposite portions thereof. y

3. In a tank car, a sill, a tank having a lading egress opening therein, a pan secured to the tank, surrounding the lading egress opening and extending-over saidfsill, said pan having an end portion and being provided with a lading egress opening in said end portion, said lading egress opening being above the sill and beyond the outer side thereof.

4.' In a tank car, a sill, a tank having a lading egress opening therein, a pan secured to the tank` surrounding the lading egress opening and extending over said sill, said pan having an upwardly and outwardly extending end portion and being provided with a lading egress opening in said end portion.

5. In a tank car, a sill, a tank having a lading egress opening therein, a pan secured to the tank, surrounding the lading egress opening and extending over said sill, said pan having an inclined end portion and being` provided with a lading egress opening in said end portion.

6. In a tank ear, a sill, a tank having a lading egress opening therein, a pan secured to the tank, surrounding the lading egress opening and extending over said sill, said pan having inclined end portions each provided with a lading egress opening.

7. In a tank car, a. sill, a tank spaced above the sill and having a lading egress opening therein, a pan secured to the tank, surrounding said lading egress opening, all of said pan being above the top of said sill.

8. In a tank car, a sill, a tank spaced above the sill and having a lading egress opening therein, a pan secured to ythe tank, surrounding said lading' egress opening, :ill of said pan being above the top of said sill, said pan also having a lading egress opening therein. Y

S). In a tank ear, a tank having a lading egress opening therein, a pan, secured to the tank and surrounding said lading egress opening, said pan having an end portion provided with a lading egress opening, and a bottom portion formed on a line abo-ve the lowermost part of the end portion toprovide for drainage.

10. In a tank car, a sill, a. tank spaoed above the sill and having a lading egress opening therein, a pan secured to the tank, surrounding said lading egress opening, eX- tending beyond the outer sides of the sill, and having a lading egress opening in a portion .which is beyond the outer side of the sill.

ll. A tank ear construction embodying therein a car sill, a tank mounted upon said sill, having a valve controlled unloader duct, or lading egress opening, arranged in the bottom of the tank, a shallow pan shaped member, secured to the outer side of said tank in position to enclose said valve controlled unloader duet, said pan shaped meniber extending over the sills and having a lading egress opening therein which is above the sill and beyond the outer side thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, `this 24th day of Ma. 1921.

WILLIAM J. TAN ERMAN 

